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Nighttime comfort nursing

My baby is 11.5 months, and we have co-slept in the family bed since day 1. Also since day 1, we (well, baby and I, not DH as he sleeps right through all of this) have been waking up every hour to 1.5 hours to feed, but mostly comfort nurse for a minute then go right back to sleep. Don't get me wrong, it's my pleasure to comfort my child with milk or with my presence if he needs it, and I realize that this is completely normal behavior at his age.

But, of course: I'm tired. I haven't sleep more than about 2 hours since he was born. My body's adjusted somewhat from the early days, but I am still pretty run down all the time. Any methods you all have tried to help baby space out comfort nursing at night at this age? Just fyi, I am not willing to try anything that involves crying. Any gentle methods or tips you guys have?

Thanks in advance, this forum has been very helpful to me, especially in the early days.

DS born 2/11: EBF for 11 months, BF for 4 years
DD born 11/14: came to the hospital crowning, had her the old fashioned way, EBF for almost 3 months and counting
Looking to adopt a toddler internationally in the next year or so...

Re: Nighttime comfort nursing

When I had this issue, I compensated by going to be earlier. More hours seem to compensate for the interrupted sleep. You have my sympathies. BTDT. The book The No Cry Sleep Solution is one worth checking out. It's by Elizabeth Pantley.

Christine
Baby Girl Born 2/17/10 to her two mommies
BF from day one. I looked up one day and realized I'm nursing a toddler!

Re: Nighttime comfort nursing

We are in the exact same situation

As PP said -- staying in bed longer helps. I feel a ton better if we "sleep" for 9-12 hrs, even though I'm still getting the brief spurts of sleep. The other thing I discovered that my LO was waking b/c he had to pee -- and initially I'd just try to have him nurse back to sleep -- which meant me being a pacifier all night long. Around 6mos we started ECing -- and I started offering the potty when we woke to nurse. It meant that I had to actually wake up a little more, but allowing him to sleep in a dry diaper has made all the difference for us.

Plus -- we cosleep -- but I find that when he's right next to me in the bed, he will try to latch on more frequently than if he is in his sidecar. Last night, we even had some 4 hour stretches when I made the effort to stay awake long enough to deposit him in his own space. Maybe my movements wake him in the main bed or something?

Finally, the other thing that helped, I think, is putting him to sleep on a lambskin. He settles so much better since I've started using it. (lamby.com)

3/2011 {EBF to 6mos, now BF and BLS, CD, EC'ing since 5mos - in underwear at 11mos, and babywearing} Babywearing International has chapters - see if there's one near you... most have lending libraries!

Re: Nighttime comfort nursing

Just wanted to say that my DS is just over 11 months, and I am in the same situation with you, sleepwise. I could have written your post. And I am also really, really tired. I've tried Pantley's NCSS, but it hasn't made much difference for me. It's worth a try, though--the book has lots of good tips. But I agree with others--go to bed as early as you can. And, if you can, try to nap on the weekends.

If it helps, I've read in various places that sleep usually gets better some time between 13-18 months, so (hopefully) we don't have far to go. That said, I also know that setting a timeline in your mind for when things will get better can be really frustrating if things don't change by then.

Re: Nighttime comfort nursing

I have 3 documents on sleep I can email you if you'd like. One is no-cry sleep suggestions. One is about finding balance when considering sleep solutions. The third has weblinks to sleep suggestion (no cry) websites and info on normal sleep patterns (it also has info on how cio is harmful but seems like you don't need that part).

Re: Nighttime comfort nursing

EC is elimination communication, or potty learning. Basically babies learn to respond to your cues for pee and poop, and as they grasp that you will help them eliminate, they will do it on cue (in a little potty, over the big potty, etc). My LO just had a dry car ride (peed in potty before we left, and he pooped in potty when we got home).

Basic premises -- babies don't pee when they are asleep. They do so after waking (or if they rouse during their sleep, they pee, then go back to sleep, kwim?). Babies pee anywhere from 0-20 min after nursing (this one applies more for daytime). So right when baby wakes up, you can offer the potty with a "shhhh" or "pssst" sound to cue for peeing.

I had heard about this before having my LO, but thought it sounded like a lot of work. In retrospect, it can be as easy (and as part-time) as you want it to be. If we only used it for nighttime and first-thing-in-the-morning (then diapers the rest of the day), I'd still do it. I wish we'd started sooner. ...I would rather take my LO to the potty over changing a diaper any day of the week. Diaper Free Baby was the book I read for tips on how to go about ECing.

3/2011 {EBF to 6mos, now BF and BLS, CD, EC'ing since 5mos - in underwear at 11mos, and babywearing} Babywearing International has chapters - see if there's one near you... most have lending libraries!